Pranks, Potions, and Unbreakable Bonds
by zephyr920
Summary: Calliope Sterling is a young witch learning to cope with the loss of her parents and now lives with the Lovegoods. Enter two prankster twins bent on bringing trouble, adventure, and laughter into her life. Rated T for now...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Potter world, that all belongs to the wickedly talented Ms Rowling. I do own Callie though so….

Prologue

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody was not accustomed to this kind of work detail. He was more used to tracking and battling dark wizards and sending them to Azkaban prison. No one could have prepared him, as Head Auror, for this. It would seem an easy task to an outsider, for all he had to do was take a little girl to her aunt and uncle. But the nature of the visit was what was extremely difficult for him. He glanced down at the two year old in his arms. She looked up at him with her incredible sage eyes and his own started to tear up. No, he told himself, I mustn't let the little one see me get emotional.

"You ready to go, wee one?" he asked her, brushing the tear from his eye and putting a forced smile on his face.

"Uh huh Mister Moody, let's go!" said the little girl with a smile. Poor girl, thought Moody to himself, she has no idea yet what has happened. Without further thought he held the girl tight and disappeared into the green fire of the floo.

He arrived instantly in the Weasleys' fireplace and step out into the hectic household. Molly and Arthur Weasley instantly stood up from the couch when they saw the expression on Mad Eye's face.

"What is it Alastor? What's wrong?" asked Arthur concerned.

"I'll tell you both in a minute, I have to go tell the Lovegoods and I don't want the little one to hear anything yet. I will try to be as quick as possible Molly, can you please take little Callie and have her play with the other kids please." He asked.

"Of course Alastor, Fred and George are about her age, they can all play together." Molly offered, her voice strained with worry as she ushered the little one into the next room.

Alastor did not waste any time, hurrying into the green flame of the Weasleys' fireplace. In an instant he was in the Lovegoods' house where the family was preparing to have dinner.

"Alastor, what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" asked Fiona Lovegood, who was busy feeding her daughter.

"I need you both to come into the living room. Now if you please." Moody said, trying not to sound too gruff.

He sat them both down and prepared for what would be the worst part of his job.

"As you know the Potters were killed and You Know Who disappeared. Well, Bellatrix LeStrange thought that the Longbottoms had information about his whereabouts. Bellatrix brought her husband Rudolphus, and his brother Rabastan to try to torture answers out of them. Your sister and brother in law had been expecting to have the Longbottoms over for company, and when they did not show went to look for them. They found the LeStranges torturing the Longbottoms and tried to stun them. Rabastan and Rodophus took off like the coward they are and Bellatrix attacked them both."

Fiona was overcome with anxiety and worry. Her sister, her only sister was in extreme danger or worse, she couldn't help but interrupt her friend.

"Are they alright Alastor? Are Lorna and Callum alright?" she asked frantically.

"I'm afraid they're gone, Fiona. They were the best damn people I knew and they're gone." Moody explained, his voice cracking as a tear trailed down his cheek.

An almost inhuman wail tore from Fiona as she threw her arms around her husband. Her sister, her twin sister, gone.

"Wait, what about little Calliope? We are her god parents." asked Xenophilius.

"I assume she'll come live with you both. The only other living relatives she has are her paternal grandparents. You will probably have to work out details with them."

Fiona simply nodded, her body still shaking with quiet sobs.

"I'm so very sorry Fiona. I know that you and Lorna were close. The Ministry extends their condolences I'm sure but I wanted you to know that I'm here personally for the both of you. Callie is at the Weasleys, would you like me to go get her or do you want to go there yourself?" Moody asked, trying not to get too emotional again.

"We will go get her Alastor, we just need a few minutes alone first. Please thank the Weasleys for watching her for us." answered Xenophilius.

"Yes, that is understandable." He stood up to leave and put his arm around Fiona in an uncharacteristic act of compassion. "Your sister was an exceptional witch both in talent and character. And your brother in law was one of the most powerful Muggle-born wizards of our time. I am so sorry." He said as he disappeared into the fireplace. Xenophilius held his wife close while she wept.

"I cannot believe she's gone, Xeno. Oh Merlin, how will we raise Callie? We only just had a baby ourselves. Oh to lose her parents at such a young age! How will we tell her?" she cried. Xenophilius lifted his wife's chin to look in her eyes, wet with tears.

"Shhh my dear, my love. I know you are in despair, but that is even more reason we need to be strong for Callie. We can tell her there was an accident for now and then tell her the details when she is older. Your sister lives on through that little one, Fiona. We can't give her parents back but we can give her a home full of love." Xenophilius said, trying to soothe his wife.

"Oh Xeno I love you and you are absolutely right. I'll go pick up Luna then we can go get Callie from the Weasleys"

Three family of three arrived in the busy Weasley household a few minutes later. Arthur stood to greet them, shaking Xeno's hand and giving Fiona a hug.

"Thank you for watching Callie for us Arthur." Xenophilius said.

"Molly and I are so sorry for your loss. Callie should be playing in the other room with Fred and George."

Fiona was not prepared to see the two ginger haired twins. Memories of her own childhood with her sister came flooding back to her. Finishing each others sentences and switching places during lessons.

"Hi Aunt Fifi, where is Mummy and Daddy?" asked Callie. Fiona looked down at her beautiful niece, who looked exactly like her own sister. Callie had the same long wheat-colored hair and grass green eyes, the same eyes that were searching hers for an answer.

"Callie, honey we will talk about it when we get home. Say goodbye to the Weasleys dear." Fiona replied, barely able to contain her emotion. The four of them crowded into the Weasleys fireplace and disappeared into the green flames.

**A/N: I know that Callie's circumstances start out very similar to Harry's but this is not a "chosen one" story I assure you. Callie is raised by her very loving Aunt and Uncle and she is very different personality wise from Harry. She is very much an individual and someone I hope that you will enjoy discovering. Also I know that Xenophilius is a little OOC in this part of the story but you will see his eccentricities develop over time With that said, I hope you will stay with me and review! **

**-Z**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Callie and Fiona. The rest belongs to Rowling

Chapter One

Calliope wouldn't see any of the Weasleys again until she was seven. Her mother and father had both died five years earlier and she had been sent to live with her mother's sister and her husband. Callie loved her Aunt Fiona and Uncle Xenophilius and her little cousin Luna.

They lived in a quirky house right next to a fairly large pond. This would be an awesome summer because her Aunt Fiona was going to let her play in the shallow water with Luna while her Aunt Fi tended the garden. Callie woke up early and she and Luna ate their breakfast in hurried silence. The moment that Luna was finished with her chocolate chip pancakes Callie grabbed her hand and out the door they flew.

The two girls were sitting at the waters edge, letting the water tickle their toes when Callie heard a twig break behind her. Reacting quickly, she threw a rock behind her without even touching it.

"Blimey! Are you trying to kill me?" yelled a red-haired boy as he ducked the rock.

"I'm sorry but you snuck up on us. Who are you anyway?" Callie asked,

looking this strange boy over. He was slightly taller than her but very skinny.

His uncombed bright red hair stuck out in places showing where he had slept on it. He had a smattering of freckles on his cheeks nestled beneath warm brown eyes that held a mischievous twinkle.

"My name's George Weasley and I live in the Burrow. It's the house down the hill. What's your name? I've never seen you here before." He asked

"My name is Calliope Sterling but you can call me Callie. I live in that house right there with my Aunt and Uncle. I wasn't ever allowed to come down to the pond before by myself. This is my cousin Luna. Why do you call your house a burrow?"

"I dunno. It's just always been called that. What are you guys doing out here?" George asked.

"We're looking for pretty rocks. Do you want to help us look?" she asked.

George looked around somewhat nervously and then nodded with a smile.

They stayed there for what seemed like hours, looking for rocks and splashing each other in the water, Even five year-old Luna was having fun and goofing around with the pair. George even dared Callie to climb up with him on top of a fairly big boulder. Callie managed to get one leg up on the rock when she lost her footing and fell, her knee hitting the boulder. It started to bleed as Callie struggled desperately not to cry in front of her new friend.

"Are you okay? Let me see." George asked her, examining her knee. "Oh Merlin's beard! I think it might fall off!" he exclaimed jokingly.

"What? Oh, you're so mean." She said, scowling. They looked at each other for a moment and burst into laughter.

George leaned over and wiped a single tear from Callie's cheek. Her eyes seemed distant for a moment then grew wide. She let out a small gasp then jumped up.

"It was nice to meet you but I gotta go." She said as she grabbed Luna by the hand and scrambled up the hill toward the house, leaving George puzzled.

A few hours later there came a persistent knock at the Lovegoods door. Callie's Aunt Fiona looked up from her cauldron and glided across the floor to answer the door, swinging it open with a sweep of her wand. She looked down to see the adorable boy with flaming red hair.

"Wow, what pretty ginger hair you have! You must be a Weasley." Aunt Fiona said with a grin. She and her husband Xenophilius knew the Weasleys well but hadn't seen them in several years even though they lived less than a kilometer away. Life had been so busy with the two girls and all of Xeno's ideas. The Weasleys were some of the only people in the wizarding community that did not take her husband's ideas and inventions as lunacy.

"Yes I am, my name's George. May Callie please come to my family's house for dinner?" George asked with puppy dog eyes.

Aunt Fiona couldn't help but chuckle to herself. It had seemed that Callie had herself a little friend. She was almost certain that this was one of the twins even if the other one was not in sight.

"Sure she may. Is it okay with your mother?" Fiona answered.

"Yeah, she told me to invite her when I told her about Callie. Mum practically begged me to." He said with a small eye roll.

Aunt Fiona laughed out loud and reached down to lightly ruffle George's hair.

"Well its fine with me if she goes. Let me just go up and get her. You may come in a sit if you like." Aunt Fiona said as she motioned toward an old but comfortable looking couch before climbing the spiral stairs.

The house was small but cozy looking and radiated love and magic. George could hear potions bubbling in the next room and could see a saucepan washing itself in the kitchen.

George smiled, this place reminded him of the Burrow, minus all the chaos. The house was designed in an inviting yet whimsical style that definitely suited the Lovegoods. On a table beside the sofa were two photos in identical beautiful frames. In one photo were two little girls that looked a lot like Callie but were twins just like he and Fred. They smiled for the camera and wrapped their arms around each other.

The other photo was of a couple smiling and kissing a small toddler held in their arms. George didn't recognize the couple but the woman looked a lot like Callie's Aunt Fiona. Suddenly, footsteps bounding down the stairs interrupted George's thoughts.

George stood quickly but Callie had already caught him staring at the photos.

"Yeah, my Mum wants to know if you would want to have dinner with us tonight." George asked, blushing slightly.

Callie gave a knowing look but failed to bring up the photographs. She simply nodded her head before responding.

"Sure, that sounds like fun. Are you ready to go?" she asked, grabbing a jacket before bounding out the door.

She got no further than the bottom step of the porch when she saw a second flash of red hair. In front of her stood a boy that looked just like George.

"Hi, I'm Calliope, but you can call me Callie. You must be twins." Callie said with a chuckle.

"Wow what a clever girl you've found, George. I'm Fred but sometimes we call ourselves Gred and Forge for fun. " Fred teased her.

Callie smiled. They were almost identical but Callie could already see some very subtle differences between the two. They both had light brown almost hazel eyes but George's seemed warmer and kinder somehow. Callie gazed into George's eyes and had no idea why.

"Well we better get going before Mum decides to send out a search party." said Fred.

The dinner was absolutely delightful. Even though Callie had grown up in a loving household, she loved the large Weasley family and how they were all so close.

After a heaping helping of stew with fresh rolls and a slice of homemade chocolate cake for dessert, Callie was beaming from ear to ear. Everyone shared how their day went, fussed over rolls, and even stole from each others plates.

After everyone had eaten and cleaned up, the family began to settle into their evening activities. Mr. Weasley sat in his chair reading a muggle book while Mrs. Weasley sat in hers, knitting a sweater. Most of the children had gone up to their rooms which left George, Fred and Callie in the kitchen.

"Well I think I should go back home now, I'm sure Aunt Fi will start to worry soon." Callie said, putting the last dish in the cabinet.

"Ok, we'll walk you back." George and Fred replied in unison.

Callie couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She had never heard anyone talk in unison like the twins seemed to do quite frequently. It was almost as if they shared the same brain.

As they were walking the path back to Callie's house, George and Callie walked together while Fred chased fireflies ahead of them. Callie decided to bring up the photos.

"Hey George, remember those pictures you were looking at in my house?" she asked gently.

"Yeah I was just curious, I'm sorry Callie." George mumbled, looking down at his shoes.

"It's ok. I can tell you about them if you want"

"Sure, if you want to." George said as he looked up.

Callie almost didn't know where to begin. She only had a few memories of those days, she had only been two when she came to live with her aunt and uncle.

"Well, the photo of the two girls is my Aunt Fiona and my mum when they were young like us."

"They are twins like Fred and me. That's cool."

"Yeah, and the photo of the man and woman and baby is my mum, dad and me. They died when I was two. That's when I got sent to live with Aunt Fi and Uncle Xeno."

George glanced up into Callie's eyes. He saw a deep sadness there and he felt the urge to comfort her even though he had only just met her.

As they stood in front of Callie's front door George leaned in and hugged Callie. All the other girls George had met in his short years were icky to him. As he looked into Callie's grass green eyes, he felt something different.

**A/N : So we get to meet the twins. Yay! Please tell me what you think, even if it is something negative. All feedback welcome **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Callie…..and the situations I put her in

Authors Note: The twin's birthday party brings together Weasleys and friends and reminds Callie of the family she has lost. Who will be there to comfort her? P.S. A very hearty thank you to Fat Old Sun for your awesome review

April 1st, Nearly three years later

Callie woke up very early because she had a lot of planning to do and she had been given a special task to perform. It was the twins' birthday and Molly had asked her to keep the twins occupied while the rest of the family got the party set up.

Callie was so excited and she had spent weeks thinking of the perfect presents for the twins. They were each unique, just like the twins, and fit their personalities perfectly. She just hoped they liked them.

She walked the narrow road that she had travelled so many times over the last three years. She remembered back to the first time she had met Fred and George and it always made her smile. They were so alike yet so different.

They looked very similar with only minute differences in appearance. Fred had a small scar on his left eyebrow and George had a mole on the right side of his neck. But the biggest difference for Callie was their eyes. Their eyes were and had always been the same color but George beheld a kinder, gentler spirit while Fred's were more mischievous.

George's eyes often looked at her with such intensity that it made her nervous. She blushed unwillingly when thinking about George's eyes and before she knew it, she was at the Burrow where Mr. Weasley was de-gnoming the garden.

"Hullo Mr. Weasley, how is everything coming?" Callie asked excitedly.

"Oh hello my dear, everything is coming along well. How are your aunt and uncle?" he answered kindly.

"Oh they send well wishes. You know my aunt, doesn't like to get out much." Callie said, looking at her shoes. Her Aunt Fiona was a very talented witch, just as Callie's mother had been, but she had a crippling fear of crowds so she often did not venture out. She often brewed her potions from home and sent them with uncle Xeno when he would make it into town.

This received only a comforting smile from Arthur. He had known Callie's mother and aunt very well, they were a few years behind he and Molly in school. He knew what a hard time she had had when her sister and brother in law were killed so he didn't push the issue.

"The twins are inside so you may go in and get them if you want, just try not to get into too much trouble. This is a very important birthday and Molly wants everything to be perfect." He chuckled to himself.

Callie ran in and said hello to Molly and Ginny and caught Fred and George both trying to steal a tart fresh from the oven. She smiled to herself at her boys. Even though she was younger than the two of them by a year, she often felt more mature in many ways.

"Come on you two, we have to get going. That fort isn't gonna build itself!" she yelled at them. The three of them had been busy trying to build a fort for weeks and it was only half finished. She loved spending time with the twins and the fort was one of Fred's favorite places to be. As for George, he and Callie had a favorite hollowed out tree that they would sit in and talk for hours. They really were as close and siblings.

When they finally got to the fort, Callie starting thinking about what she had gotten the twins. Her uncle had taken her to Diagon Alley earlier in the week to get their presents.

She bought a hand zapper, a sugar quill, and a handful of chocolate frogs for Fred and for George she bought an alarm to protect private things, invisible ink that could be revealed only with secret liquid, and with her uncle's help she made a carving of them sitting in their secret tree.

"So Callie…What's Mum up to for our birthday?" Fred asked her point blank.

Callie had to think quickly on her feet so she just said the first thing that she thought of.

"I have no idea. She said she would probably wait until Bill, Charlie and Percy come home so everyone will be together. Eleven is an important birthday you know. Speaking of eleven, did you two get your Hogwarts letters?" She said, hoping she sounded convincing enough.

Fred seemed satisfied and rattled on about their Hogwarts acceptance letters, but George eyed her suspiciously. She thought for sure he'd make an issue of it but didn't. They got busy building and had made quite a bit of progress when the little buzzer alarm went off in her pocket, letting her know it was time to go back.

As she walked up the path, George continued to watch her. He knew she was up to something, there was nothing she could hide from him. He reached and grabbed her hand and swung her arm. Fred glanced over and grabbed her other hand and together they swung both her arms and walked laughing up to the house.

The party was a huge success. They started with a huge dinner with all of the twins' favorite foods and the twins enjoyed all of their gifts. They were sad that their brothers didn't get to come home for the party but some cousins had come in from London so the Burrow was filled to capacity. Molly even showed the entire family the twins' acceptance letters much to their chagrin.

Fred laughed and joked with his hand buzzer and set loose the chocolate frogs throughout the house. George thanked her for his gifts and promised to write her letters with the special ink when he was away at Hogwarts in the fall. Eventually everyone settled down to a huge chocolate layer cake and frozen custard.

Callie just watched as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley hugged their sons and laughed with them. Callie felt a pang in her heart, even though she had not known her parents well she missed them greatly. She would give anything to be able to be held by them again, to see them again. Overcome with emotion, she left quietly, careful not to draw attention to herself. One person did see her, however and became quite concerned.

"Where are you going Callie?" Fred asked.

She would not turn around and face him. There were tears in her eyes and she refused to let him see her like that.

"Home. My aunt will be wanting me home soon. I have to go." She said between sniffles.

Fred walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. He cared for her like a sister and hated to see her upset.

"No one wants you to go. We really liked your gifts. The hand buzzer was brilliant." He said trying to cheer her up.

"I miss them Fred. How can I miss them when I barely knew them? Why does it hurt so much?" she asked, finally facing him.

Fred didn't know how to answer so he did the only thing he knew to do. He cared about Callie like she was part of his already large family. She was their partner in crime, and the only person besides George that he trusted with his secrets.

He grabbed her and hugged her while she sobbed, hoping that if he hugged her tight enough that he might be able to take some of her pain away. The two had no idea they weren't alone, however. Someone was watching them quietly from the doorway.

**A/N So who do you think was watching them from the doorway? Yeah the answer is probably easy to guess but I love a cliffy anyway So you know the drill, I love reviews like I love me some Weasley twins :P **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for Callie… the rest belongs to Our Queen

A/N Forgot last time to thank the fabulous HufflepuffPrincessEm for her wonderful review. Much love to all my readers, enjoy this next dose of Weasley/Callie goodness

Chapter 3

Callie woke up early the next morning to the sound of birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She was slightly embarrassed about crying in front of Fred. She had thought for sure that he was going to tease her about it, but he had been surprisingly sweet. Normally George had been the one to console Callie but Fred was there first this time.

She got dressed quickly and noticed that the family was still in bed. She thought it would a good idea to surprise them by making breakfast all by herself. She hurried down the stairs and turned on the stove. She got out all the ingredients to make blueberry pancakes (her aunts favorite), bread for toast, and sausages out of the icebox.

She was stirring the batter for the pancakes, managing to spill more and more when she heard sounds of waking from upstairs. She cursed herself for making so much noise when she felt eyes watching her. She slowly turned around and sure enough, her Aunt Fi was standing there looking very angry.

"Calliope Meredith Sterling," her aunt scolded "What in Merlin's name is going on in here? You've managed to turn the kitchen into an absolute sty."

Callie winced at the use of her full name, knowing full well that her aunt only used it when she was very angry. She was used to getting into trouble with the boys but this time she had been trying to do something nice.

"I'm really sorry Aunt Fi, I was trying to make everyone breakfast. Like you do for us every morning." She said as her eyes started to tear.

Her Aunt continued to look down at her, although her expression softened a bit.

"Well you could have hurt yourself or burned the house down; you need to learn to be more careful dear. Now, if you want to you can help me fix breakfast but then after you've eaten you are cleaning this mess up. No excuses." She said, a smile betraying her stern tone.

"Can I ask Fred and George to help? We were supposed to spend the day together."

"I suppose. But absolutely no goofing off, that kitchen will be cleaned. Now come here and I'll show you how to make pancakes." Aunt Fiona said.

They soon had a huge platter of pancakes and sausages on the table, along with a big pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice. When her belly was nice and full, Callie excused herself from the table and ran out the door to go to the Burrow.

She had walked the worn path so many times that it seemed to only take a few minutes to reach the home of her best mates. She knocked loudly and smiled brightly when the twins' little brother Ron answered the door. He didn't even need to ask her what she wanted; he already knew she was there for the twins.

"Hey Callie, I'll go get them." Ron said with a yawn. He padded off and a few moments later a distressed-looking George came to the door.

"Mornin' George. I just wanted to know if you and Fred wanna come help me clean. Then we can go finish the fort." She said, trying to cheer George up.

George just looked at her with a blank expression.

"We can't go. We have to help Mum clean up the mess from the party." He said with a scowl.

Callie knew something was wrong. Every time Molly tried to get the twins to help with chores, they always weaseled their way out of it. Why did were they now so willing?

"Oh...ok, well I can help. We can get it done fast then work on the kitchen at my house. With the three of us working it will go even faster."

"No Callie, we are having family time. Just family. We don't want you here." George said and slammed the door.

Callie stood there, blinking back tears. The words echoed in her brain over and over. They did not want her there. She started to cry as she turned and ran for the safety of her own home.

She burst through the door, slamming it behind her. She flung herself on the couch in a huff. She did not understand why George was so mad at her. She did not remember doing anything.

Her Uncle Xeno hated seeing her so upset and knew exactly how to help her. He set his typewriter to autotype and sat down beside her, intent on finding out what had happened.

"Hey gorgeous, what happened? You ran over here faster than an owl flies" he asked.

"George said that they don't want me around. I don't get it, what did I do?"

"I don't know Callie. It could just be something George is going through, he is leaving in the fall after all. Maybe he doesn't know how to handle that. Just never forget that no matter who comes in and out of your life, we are your family and we will always be here for you." Her uncle said smiling.

Callie calmed down slightly and nodded, wiping away a few stray tears. Her uncle went quiet for a few moments before jumping up with a gasp, startling Callie.

"I've got it! Your aunt might need help with stocking up her reserves for her potions. I bet there is a job that you and Luna can do."

"But Aunt Fi said I needed to clean the kitchen. I made a mess this morning." She said, her eyes downcast.

"Do not worry child, I used some cleaning charms. It's all spotless now. Now go get Luna and the two of you can help your aunt today." He said, scooting her out of the room

Callie grabbed Luna and the two of them set to work helping stock up reserve ingredients her aunt needed for her potions. Soon Callie was laughing and enjoying herself and had almost forgotten all about the fight with George.

Callie had just finished bottling up the last of the slug slime and was washing up in the kitchen when she spotted something out the window that made her heart jump. She spotted a red headed twin walking up the lane to her house. He was too far still for her to see which one but she had a sneaking suspension she knew exactly who it was.

She stood in the doorway, waiting for him to come to her; she refused to run out to meet him like she normally did. He walked slowly, kicking little rocks with his toe as he went, embarrassed to look at her. He finally reached the porch and stood there, looking up at her nervously.

"What do you want George? I thought you were mad at me." She said, annoyed.

"I came to say sorry. I was a right git Callie, and I shouldn't have said we didn't want you."

"Why did you say it George? What did I do?" she asked, almost in tears.

George stepped forward and wrapped her up in a hug. He hated to see her cry, ever since that first day he met her at the pond.

"I don't know. I'm just stupid I guess. I promise I'll never hurt you again." He whispered in her ear.

She pulled back from him and searched his face for any sign of teasing. All she saw were his warm chestnut eyes and she knew he was telling the truth.

"Okay enough of this sappy stuff, lets go finish that fort now!" she said before jumping down off the porch and grabbing his hand, pulling him along behind her.

**A/N Wow thanks for sticking with me through that one. It's essential to show that not only does George care about Callie; he gets jealous over her as well. He's only human after all. Don't forget to review; I cherish each one like hugs from George **

**-Z **


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: As always the magic belongs to Rowling, Callie belongs to me

A/N So the little ones got through their first real fight. Now the three of them are going to have figure out how to cope with leaving and being apart. Be prepared for a few tears and maybe a surprise or two. Thanks to everyone for their reviews and as always, enjoy!

Chapter 4

Callie woke up and stretched her tired body. It had taken them nearly all summer but the three of them had finally put the last touches on building the fort the day before. She was glad that they got it finished so they could enjoy it before Fred and George left in less than a week for Hogwarts.

Callie's breath caught in her chest when she thought of her best friends leaving. What if they got to Hogwarts and forgot about her? What is she was a squib and never got her Hogwarts letter? What if she did get there and got into Slytherin?

Thinking about all the possibilities overwhelmed her and she decided that a talk with George would make her feel better.

She tiptoed down the spiral staircase and past the kitchen where her family was eating breakfast she almost made it out the door when she heard someone clear their throat behind her, stopping her in her tracks.

"And where do you think you're going without eating breakfast little missy?" her aunt said, her hands on her hips in mock seriousness.

"I'm not hungry right now. If I get hungry later I promise I'll eat at the Burrow. Please can I go? Please?" she said, using her big green eyes as leverage. It was underhanded, she knew, but it worked. Her aunt looked down at her in mock sternness until her face broke out in a wide grin.

"Oh ok, but don't get into too much trouble young lady." She said as she handed Callie her jacket.

Callie flew down the path and met the twins at the fort in the small patch of woods between the two houses. She knocked the secret knock before the door flew open. She peered in the door and spotted Fred concentrating over a small bubbling cauldron and George reading a book on Quidditch. George looked up when she entered and smiled at her and waved her over.

"Hey Callie, you wanna sit down? Or do you want to go to the tree?" he asked her.

"Lets go to the tree. I wanna talk to you anyway. Is he gonna be okay though?" she asked, pointing to Fred whose brow was wrinkled in concentration.

"Oi! Fred!" George yelled at Fred.

Fred looked up, annoyed "What? I'm trying to make this aging potion work."

"Are you gonna be okay while we're gone? Why are you trying to make a potion anyway?" Callie asked him

"Dad gave us our books early so I'm just practicing. Have to practice if one day the three of us are gonna open a shop. Now as much as I like you both, leave me alone." Fred said without even looking up.

Callie could only giggle to herself, she knew that Fred would say goodbye to her in his own way. Right now she really wanted to spend some time with George.

As the two of them made their way to their tree, Callie grabbed George's hand and swung it back and forth. George gave her his famous lopsided grin and her stomach did little flips like Cornish pixies were flying around inside.

When they reached the tree she let go of his hand long enough to climb in and snuggle into the hollowed out space. George climbed in after her and sat cross legged across from her.'

"Now what is so important that you interrupted my reading?" he teased.

She fidgeted with a stray string that had come unraveled from her jumper. She was trying her best not to cry, she did not like to cry. But the more she thought of her boys leaving the more the tears threatened to fall. She finally looked up into George's eyes, filled with concern.

"I'm scared George. I'm scared that you will get to Hogwarts and forget about me. Or worse, that I wont even get accepted. What if I'm a squib George? What if I'm a squib?" she said with a trembling lip before covering her face with her hands, desperate to cover up the tears.

George snuggled closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. He lifted her chin and looked into her green eyes which were now very wet with tears.

"I could never forget you. And even though he's a git, neither could Fred. We are best friends Callie, you never forget that. And you are a witch Callie, there is no doubt about that. You'll get your letter, you just have to wait a little longer I promise." He said with a small smile.

The sat there for what seemed like an eternity before George leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers. He kissed her in friendship but it felt different. He had been kissed by his mum and little sister on the cheek loads of times but this was something completely new to him.

Callie's eyes widened when George's lips lightly touched hers. She had never felt anything like it before but she had no idea what she was doing. After a few moments Callie pulled away and just stared at George. She watched as George's face blushed to a brilliant shade of scarlet to match his hair. His face broke into a sheepish grin and Callie snorted in laughter at the sight. Soon they were both laughing and decided to go back to the burrow.

The day to say goodbye came faster than Callie had wanted it to. She had dreaded this day ever since she knew it was coming. She was both excited for the twins but also terrified at the thought of being apart from them for a whole year.

A whole year seemed like a lifetime but her aunt assured her it would fly by. Her aunt and uncle had agreed to let her ride to King's Cross station with the Weasleys so she could say goodbye properly to the twins. Normally a trip to London seemed to take forever but now it seemed to fly by.

As they made their way through the station, which was packed with Muggles, she held onto George's free hand. When they reached the platform she became puzzled. It appeared to be a stone column, nothing more. But when the older Weasley boys ran straight through it she understood.

At last she turned to the twins, her twins, and held out her arms for a hug. The first to hug her was Fred and he squeezed her so tight she felt like she might burst as he lifted her off the ground.

"Oi Fred! Put me down!" she said, laughing.

"Sorry Callie, I'm just gonna miss you, that's all. Don't worry, I'll make sure George and I write you all the time." He said before running through the barrier. Which left her alone with George. He blushed slightly as he looked down at her.

She shrugged before hurling herself into his arms, nearly knocking the wind out of him.

"I'm gonna miss you and Fred so much. Be safe okay, and don't get into too much trouble and…" she rattled on before George stopped her.

"Callie, we will be fine. We will get on as fine as we can without you. I miss you already Callie." He said into her hair.

And as he pulled away he kissed her lightly on her cheek, which was slightly wet with tears.

"Remember my Callie, this ain't goodbye, just til' we meet again." He said with a wave before disappearing through the stone barrier.

**A/N So we finally have a first kiss! Yay! But how will Callie fare now that her beloved boys are away at school? What surprises might her aunt and uncle have in store for her? And will this be the first of a budding romance between Callie and George or will they remain best friends? These and many more questions will be answered in good time, so keep reading. And don't forget to shoot me a review to let me know how I'm doing. **

** -Z**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: The usual, Rowling=the author of the greatest fandom ever. I am just a faithful fan and owner of Callie.

A/N So, did everyone enjoy the tender moment between Callie and George? I know I did. This chapter delves into the twins' first few months away at Hogwarts. Much thanks to Fat Old Sun for the idea to show George's side of events. I just hope you like to read George as much as I love to write him. As always, Enjoy!

George POV

George lay on his bed that first night and had trouble sleeping. Everything was so new to him and he was both excited and slightly overwhelmed by it all. He watched as Fred soaked up the new-found popularity of being a new Gryffindor.

He knew that he and George would be together but he had his doubts as to exactly where they would go. He was sure after all the pranks they had pulled over the years that they would be tossed in with the lot in Slytherin.

His mind drifted and he started to think of Callie. He imagined her running in the field between the two houses, imagined her splashing him in the cool water of the pond. He remembered the kiss in the hollowed out tree. Fred would never let him live it down if he found out but George thought about the kiss often.

It was the only secret he kept from Fred, and only because he was afraid Fred would tell Callie. He was certain that Callie only wanted to be friends, she had always treated he and Fred the same.

The next few days were filled with getting lost in the castle, being late for classes, and watching Fred being a loud-mouth. He played the part of Fred's partner in crime perfectly, and it helped to take his mind off of what was going on at home.

Finally after almost a week, the mail came. George and Fred looked up at the flying owls expectantly, hoping for good news from home. It was Fred who spotted Errol, the family's ancient owl flying haphazardly through the air, before hurtling into Fred's cereal bowl.

"Oi! Watch it you silly bird! I can never understand why Mum and Dad won't break down and buy another bloody owl. Honestly." Said Fred as he picked up a dizzy Errol and taking his letters.

"Hey George we got a letter from Mum and Dad. George? George?" Fred said as he elbowed George.

But George was not listening. Instead he was pointing in the air where he had spotted Albion, the Lovegood's owl flying gracefully and landing with ease next to George's plate. Albion playfully nipped at George's fingers and he handed the beautiful bird a treat.

Albion dropped the two letters, one for each of the twins, gracefully on the table before speeding off with out a sound. Fred snatched his letter quickly and read it to himself, a smile plastered to his face the entire time.

All George could do was trace where Callie had written his name. Fred was eyeing George with playful suspicion, as if daring him to open the letter in front of everyone. A wide grin broke out across Fred's face as George tucked the letter in his robes, blushing furiously.

"Is that a letter from our girl? Or should I say your girl, George?" he said in a whisper, "After all, you did snog her in your tree a few weeks ago."

George's eyes grew wide in surprise. How had Fred known? He and Callie hadn't told anyone, at least he hadn't.

"Don't worry dear brother of mine, she wasn't the one to spill the beans. I knew something was up when you came out of that silly tree with those goofy looks on your faces, I just guessed at the snogging part though." Fred said with a smug grin.

George teetered somewhere between wanting to laugh off his embarrassment and punching Fred square in his toothy grin. It was then he decided that a little bit of revenge would be in order for his dear twin. All in good fun of course.

George was relieved when the final lesson of the day let out so he could both take his letter up to read it alone and plan his little bit of revenge for Fred. He had never pranked Fred before so this would be interesting to say the least. But more important was Callie's letter.

Part of him hated himself for how sappy he got when thinking of her, but that part was quickly silenced by the memories of her lips against his. Merlin's beard, no wonder Fred had known.

He flung himself on his bunk and quickly tore open the envelope. Inside was Callie's loopy, familiar handwriting.

_Dear George,_

_How are things at Hogwarts? I heard from your Mum that you and Fred got into Gryffindor. That is so exciting! Aunt Fi told me my dad was a Gryffindor and would be so proud of you if he had met you. I hope your classes aren't too hard. _

_Your Mum also told me that you'll be coming home for Christmas which makes me even more excited! You have to tell me all about your classes when you get here. Oh and Aunt Fi gave me a really cool book on Animagi that I think you and Fred would really like._

_It takes many years but I'm going to try to study very hard to become one. Shhh! Don't tell anyone. Aunt Fi said most people choose not to register as an Animagus because there are too many rules. Sometimes I take the book to our tree and imagine I am there with you, and you are reading over my shoulder. But then I remember you're at school and I get sad again. _

_Uncle Xeno keeps telling me that three months isn't very long, but I don't believe him. It's going to seem like forever without you two. Well, try to stay out of trouble at least til you get back._

_ Yours,_

_**Callie**_

George sighed as he put the letter in the secret-safe box that Callie had given him for his birthday. He did miss her, probably more than a friend should miss another friend. But now that he had read her letter, there were more important things to do. And at the top of that list was deciding exactly what to do to Fred.

When Fred came up an hour later, he was grinning from ear to ear.

"This place is brilliant Gred. There is loads to do. Not too mention the witches here are quite fit." He said as he plopped his school books onto the bed next to George's.

"I'm glad you're having fun, Forge." He said with mock annoyance. He was thankful he had pulled the cover over his head because he could feel his face getting warmer and warmer and a grin spread over his freckled face.

His body started to shake with silent laughter as he heard the unmistakable sounds of Fred stripping down to his sleep shorts and noisily snuggling under the covers. It took less than a minute for Fred to burst out of the bed, scratching furiously and yelping in discomfort.

George sat up in bed and nearly doubled over in laughter at the sight in front of him. Fred was howling and hopping around the room which woke up anyone else who had been sleeping in the dorm. Everyone soon was giggling and teasing Fred, as George looked on in utter amusement.

He would definitely have to thank Callie for taking the Instant Itch powder from her Aunt's stock and sending it with him in his trunk.

**A/N So we get to see a little Weasley pranking action. Trust me that is only the start of much more antics to come. So stick with me to find out more and as always, don't forget to drop me a review! **

** -Z**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: You know the drill…. Rowling owns all, I just borrow

A/N First I want to say sorry for taking so long to update, my personal life right now is just crazy. With that being said chapter is dedicated to all of my loyal readers, subscribers and reviewers who have chosen to stay with me. 3

Chapter 6

George POV

The boys in Gryffindor dorm were still laughing at the prank George had pulled on Fred. Fred at first had been mad but shook it off rather quickly. George had never pulled a prank on Fred before and he doubted he would be doing it again anytime soon. Fred and George's popularity seemed to rise after the prank and Fred soaked it up like a sponge.

George had been busy writing his letter to Callie when he heard someone bound up the stairs. He knew it was Fred when he plopped down on the bed next to his. The twins' friend Lee Jordan was sleeping in the bed on the other side of George.

"Oi George, if you're done writing your girlfriend, you wanna go exploring?" Fred asked teasingly.

"Shut it Fred, or I'll dip into my stock of itching powder again." George said with a slight smile.

Fred's smile faded only slightly. He pulled out a sheet of parchment out of his pack and started tearing it in smaller pieces. He balled up the smaller pieces and began to toss them at George.

George ignored the first few but then Fred began tossing them at George's face. He put the last touches on his letter to Callie and put it in his secret-safe box with a huff.

"Oh all right! What do you want to do?" he demanded.

"Aha he speaks! You're awfully cranky without your girl around, dear brother. Now let us explore, I think I know where there is a secret passageway." Fred said excitedly, grabbing George's hand as he pulled him down the stairs.

George's heart was racing as he and Fred tiptoed down the dimly lit hallways. Fred stopped in front of a weird statue and grinned from ear to ear.

"I saw this earlier and thought we could check it out." Fred said, still smiling.

George stood there, looking at Fred with one eyebrow raised. It looked like just an ordinary statue to him. Much to his dismay Fred pulled the statues arm and the statue pulled away from the castle walls and revealed a small passageway that led out of the castle.

Fred turned around to face George, grinning from ear to freckled ear.

"What did I tell ya Gred? Am I good or what?" Fred asked, beaming with pride.

The twins seemed to find trouble wherever they went in the castle and their reputation for being pranksters soon spread around the castle like wildfire. They often snuck out of the castle and out onto the grounds. They usually stayed away from the Forbidden Forest but only because Fred was secretly afraid of it, not that he would admit that to anyone.

The night the twins became Gryffindor heroes started out just like any other. They were chatting with their mates in the common room when they heard a noise like a growl echo through the room.

"Blimey! What in Merlin's beard was that? George and Fred asked together.

A sheepish grin came from their new friend Lee Jordan as he cleared his throat to speak.

"My stomach, I wasn't very hungry at dinner but now I'm starving. I really wish the kitchens weren't closed." Lee said.

The twins exchanged knowing glances. If anyone could find a way into the kitchens, it was them.

They made their way down to the entrance hall past sleeping portraits and tiptoed past a sleeping Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's stupid cat. They came to a rather large painting of a bowl of fruit.

"I think this is the only painting without a person in it. That's weird." George said.

"Yeah, weird or very fortunate for us. It's a painting of food, what do you wanna bet that it goes to the kitchens?" Fred said as he felt around the painting for some kind of clue.

His fingers glided over the pear and it wiggled slightly. George noticed this and thought that maybe this would be the way in.

"Fred, do that again. It's the pear!" he said with excitement. Fred's fingered tickled the pear and the portrait eased gently away from the wall.

"George, that was brilliant! This is why no one else can be my partner in crime." Fred exclaimed as he climbed through the portrait hole.

The two quickly gathered up plenty of snacks and thanked the house elves. They quietly made their way back to the Gryffindor common room amid cheers and laughter. Everyone had wondered exactly how they had gotten past Filch and found the passage to the kitchens.

Of course he and Fred would never tell them, they liked to be the ones to find the secrets of the castle and grounds. For the next few weeks Fred and George made several trips out of the castle and down to the kitchens.

One particular night the two were making their way back from the kitchens when they were seen by Mrs. Norris. Fred and George sprinted away, not wanting to be caught in the halls by Filch. As they rounded a corner they bumped into something hard and went sprawling to the hard stone floor.

"Hey, what are you lot doing out of bed at this hour? And where did you get all that food?" asked a very angry Argus Filch.

Fred and George just looked at each other, not willing to give up their secrets to the nosy caretaker.

"We're out for a late-night stroll. And as for the food, Filchy, that's our little secret." George said with a smirk. He and Fred cocked their heads at Filch, waiting for the old man's next move.

Filch's face deepened to a brilliant shade of scarlet and he sputtered his next words.

"That's it you two, come to my office til I can get Professor Dumbledore down here to discipline you." He spit out in anger.

He grabbed the twins by the collar of their shirts and dragged them into his dingy closet-like office. He sat them down roughly in the chair before addressing them gruffly.

"You two better be here when I get back with the Professor. And don't touch nothin', understand?" he growled before slamming the door.

The instant the door was closed, Fred was up out of his chair and rummaging through the stuff in Filch's office. He opened and shut drawers while George sat as lookout.

"Oh Merlin's bollocks George, come look at what I found!" Fred exclaimed as he opened a drawer marked "confiscated property".

They both rifled through the items which ranged from mysterious to the mundane items until they found something that made them both gasp out loud.

"It's a real treasure map!" they both exclaimed in unison as they tucked the map into a safe pocket.

**A/N So it looks like our boys have found the Marauder's Map. How will they figure out how to use it? And what sort of mischief will they get into when they do? As always, feel free to shoot me a review to let me know what you think.**

**-Z**


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Rowling owns HP, I own Callie…

A/N I first want to apologize for keeping you waiting so long for this but life has happened in a big way lately. I wanna say thanks to all of you awesome people who have stuck with me this far. I hope you all are having as much fun reading as I am writing.

Chapter 7

Callie woke up to the sound of tapping on her window. She lazily opened her eyes and saw Albion, the family's owl sitting precariously on the window sill. She noticed with a gasp that he had two letters in his claws and she quickly opened the window to let him in. He dropped the letters gracefully on her desk before landing on his perch.

Callie walked over and calmly fed Albion a treat and ruffled his feathers gently. The letters seemed to stare at her from across the room. She wanted desperately to rip open the letters and read them voraciously, but she was also afraid of what they would say.

She knew they were probably having fun without her but she didn't want to think about it. She was most definitely not having fun without them.

She grasped the letters in her hands and decided to read Fred's first. She laughed as she read about all the trouble the two were getting into. He wrote about finding secret passageways and making lots of friends.

She smiled, she could literally see Fred and George swaggering around the castle and sneaking about at night. Fred's letter was unsurprisingly short and to the point.

She took a deep breath and slowly unfolded the letter from George. She smiled at she read the familiar, messy scrawl.

Dear Callie,

Just so you know I'm trying to write this in a hurry so Fred can't get a hold of it and read it. He's been trying to read over my shoulder for hours now. Wow you wouldn't believe this place Callie, we have only been here a few weeks and have already found two hidden passage ways and what we think might be a secret treasure map.

Everything is so much fun but we would have more fun if you were here. Most of our classes are good except we have one teacher who doesn't seem to like us. His name is Snape and he is kinda scary. He tells me and Fred that we goof off too much in Potions class. My favorite subject is Charms. It is taught by the tiniest man I have ever seen. His name Professor Flitwick and he says Fred and I are naturals.

I told him how your aunt taught us quite a bit. The whole school is run by Headmaster Dumbledore who is a really old wizard and remembers when our mum and dad were students. Can you believe that? I told him about you and he said he's looking forward to meeting you. He said he remembers your mum and dad and what great students they were.

Don't worry about us Callie, we will be safe or at least I will. I can't always guarantee what Fred will do. And don't worry, Christmas break will be here before you know it and we will tell all about school in person.

p.s. Tell your aunt and Uncle and Luna hello for us.

George

Callie smiled as she pictured George writing hurriedly by candlelight with Fred trying to peek over his shoulder. She also knew they would get into trouble but she had no idea that they would find secret passageways and a treasure map so quick. She honestly hoped that Hogwarts would be still standing by the time she got there.

There came a quiet knock on the door and Callie looked up to see her Aunt Fi in the doorway. Her aunt glided across the room, her long skirt flowing around her ankles. She sat on the bed next to Callie and brushed a long wisp of hair out of the young girl's eyes.

"Did you get a letter from the boys? I hope all is well with those two, I hope they haven't turned that great school into a heap of rubble by now." Her aunt said with a smile.

Callie had to laugh at this. After all, she had been thinking the exact thing only moments earlier.

"Yeah its still standing. They send their love and say they will be home for Christmas."

"And they will be, my child, they will. The time will fly before you know it." He aunt said, smoothing the rest of her hair.

Her Aunt Fiona had been right, of course. The few months went by rather quickly; she had plenty to do between helping her aunt with her potions and studying her Animagus book.

Before she knew it, she was bundling up and braving the harsh winter winds with her family to have dinner at the Weasley's.

They all enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner and exchanged gifts. There were the usual gifts, like a sweater from Molly for each of the children and stockings full of chocolate frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. Callie snorted with laughter when Fred and George switched their sweaters when Molly wasn't looking, so now Fred had the 'G' and George's read 'F'.

"Okay Gred and Forge, let's go figure out that map" Callie whispered with a smile. As soon as they settled down on the couch Fred pulled the map out from his back pocket. Callie could tell that it had been folded and unfolded many times; there were deep creases over the worn parchment.

"We can't figure it out Callie, we've used all the revealing spells we know and nothing works." George said, frustrated.

Callie laughed out loud; she knew her boys would find trouble when they were away.

"I swear that you two are up to no good!" she exclaimed, smiling. Then something curious happened. The parchment map flickered and the writing changed and then read "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs wish to thank Miss Sterling for her valiant effort and that she is very close to the truth."

"Callie! Say that again!" Fred said excitedly.

"What? All I said was that you two were up to no good." She replied, clueless.

When the map flickered again, the twins looked at each other and Fred grabbed his wand.

"Ready George?"

"Ready Fred!"

"We solemnly swear that we are up to no good!" they exclaimed in unison. Callie couldn't believe what happened next. The map changed from the normal message to a map of what looked like the inside of a castle.

"This is a map of Hogwarts!" the two exclaimed together. They could see the names and footprints of the students who had stayed behind for the holiday, and a few teachers as well.

The two looked up at Callie with mischievous eyes and wrapped her in a huge hug.

"Thank you Callie, that was truly brilliant." Fred whispered in her ear. "Yeah, we would've never figured it out without you." George whispered in her other ear.

When Callie saw the mischievous glint in the twins' eyes, she knew that Hogwarts had no idea what was about to hit it.

A/N so they finally figured out the Marauders'' Map. Stay tuned to see what crazy hijinks the twins will get into next.

-Z


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: As always, Rowling owns Potter and I own this little ficlet.

I want to thank everyone for sticking with me thus far and I promise you all of your patience will pay off in this chapter. So read now, before I give too much away. Enjoy!

Chapter 8

The months had passed quickly and soon the all of the Weasley boys were home from Hogwarts.

Callie woke up early, anxious to spend time with the boys before her party later that afternoon. They were having an outdoor party down by the pond and the whole Weasley clan was invited. Callie could barely contain her excitement as she hurried down the stairs and threw open the front door.

Callie's heart fell as she looked outside and saw that it was pouring rain. It seemed to be coming down in buckets and the sky was a deep dark grey and lightning flickered in the distance.

She moped slightly as she sat in the doorway. There would be no party today. There would be no chocolate fudge cake from Molly, no presents, and no visiting with friends.

"I see that you noticed its raining lizards and frogs out there." Said her uncle behind her.

"I think you mean its raining like cats and dogs." She corrected.

"Now that doesn't make any sense, does it my dear? Why on earth would it be raining cats and dogs? How would they get all the way up into that sky?" he said with a silly sense of wonder.

Callie couldn't help but chuckle. This was precisely the reason why she loved her uncle so. He could make her feel better no matter how sad she was.

"I know we can't have your party today sweetheart but perhaps this weekend we can. Until then I know precisely what will cheer you up." he said before pausing for effect.

"Well what Uncle?" she asked excitedly.

"I think your aunt could use some help from you and Luna today. She is developing a new potion and it is going to take a lot of her concentration. So if you can help her build up some of her stores that could be of great help to her."

"Okay. I'll go get Luna." She said with a smile before running off.

Xenophilius chuckled to himself before collecting his articles to put in the Quibbler. He had loads of work to get done so he was glad that the girls would be occupied with helping Fiona.

Callie woke up a sleepy Luna and dragged her into her aunt's potion room and startled her Aunt Fiona who had been concentrating over a difficult potion.

"Oh girls, you scared me. Do you need something my dears?" she asked before walking over and bending down to them.

"Uncle Xeno said to ask you if we could help you today since we can't have my party." Callie asked with a hopeful smile.

Fiona couldn't help but smile at her young niece and daughter. She knew she really should focus all her attention on the new potion she was working on but she couldn't help but feel bad for Callie. It was her birthday and she couldn't be with her friends, instead was stuck inside the house. What could it hurt to have them help her for awhile?

"Okay dearies, come into my wonderous and whimsical workshop." She said with a whirl of her hands and the girls giggled. Fiona decided that she could have the girls work on simple projects to keep them busy while she worked on her potion.

"Okay girls, you are going to help me build up some of my stores. Callie, you can remove the eyes from those black beetles. Luna, you can take the seeds off of the silverweed pods."

She set the girls up and started to work on her potion. It was an incredibly difficult one but if she perfected it, it would be a breakthrough for the wizarding community. It would make Essence of Dittany almost useless. The potion would be able to heal almost any wound almost instantly. She had been working hand in hand with St. Mungo's Hospital and was excited to get started formulating.

The potion was not only extremely complicated but dangerous as well. It required almost constant concentration. But she had been practicing for awhile and she was an adept potions master. Dumbledore has implored her to take the job at Hogwarts as Potions Professor but she had respectfully declined. She could barely leave the house after her sister had died and classes full of children would likely just overwhelm her.

She added each ingredient carefully and grew very excited as she drew closer to figuring out the complicated potion. Sweat dripped from her knitted brow and she hastily wiped it away. She urged herself to relax and simply enjoy the wonderful process.

She glanced over at the girls who were happily plucking and collecting ingredients and chattering away. She smiled at them fondly. They were her girls. She continued to watch in wonder as the two worked together with the tasks.

Fiona had taken her eyes away from her potion for a moment too long while admiring the two girls. She blindly grabbed for an ingredient and without thinking grabbed the bottle of powdered Erumpant horn.

She realized her mistake as the brew started to bubble out of control. She realized in an instant that the girls were too close, that they would be hurt or worse. She panicked and screamed for the girls to leave.

"Callie, you and Luna get out of here!" she screamed in terror.

Callie looked up confused, and pushed Luna out of the way as she ran for her aunt.

She neared her as her aunt tried a last ditch effort and overturned the cauldron. The cauldron seemed to fall to the floor in slow motion and exploded with a force so strong that it knocked Callie off her feet.

Callie saw the blue flame fly toward her face as she tried to turn away from it. She felt the flames lick her face as she screamed out in shock. Her eyes were strained closed by the force of the heat and the very last thing she remembered before slipping into darkness was the combined screams of her aunt and little cousin.

**A/N I know I hated to do it but I wanted to stick as close to the original storyline as possible and I always wanted to know what had happened to Luna's mother when Luna described her in OOTP. I know this is a little different than what Luna described but I wanted to elaborate. The drama only builds from here so stay with me. Oh yeah and don't forget to review, I cherish each and every one like I cherish the Weasley twins! ;)**

** -Z**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Potter world. I do, however, wish I could have gone to Hogwarts.

A/N I'm hoping that everyone is still with me, I know the last chapter went to a pretty dark place but please stay with me. This chapter introduces some new family members and new struggles that no one could have foretold…

Callie sat up suddenly, drenched in sweat and tried to scream for her aunt but only a ragged sound escaped her lips. She was sure that everything had been a horrible nightmare and that she would awake in her room and everything would be fine.

She tried to open both eyes but her right eye was obstructed by something. Her left eye was blinded by the bright lights and she knew she was not in her warm bed and this had not been a nightmare. Her fingers found their way to her face and felt the bandages on her right side. She winced in pain and gasped aloud.

Her scream had awoken the person sitting to her right. She could not see who they were at first but she heard a familiar voice.

"Callie, we are here. Are you in pain? If you are, I can go get one of the healers dear." answered Molly Weasley.

"Where are Aunt Fi and Uncle Xeno and Luna? Where's my family?" she started to panic. She searched Molly's face, looking for comfort but only saw sadness in her eyes. Molly bit her lip and searched for the words to tell her what had happened.

Callie looked around the room and saw Fred sitting in a chair against the wall, still sleeping soundly. She turned her head and looked at the chair directly beside her bed. It had been pushed up against the bed and contained a sleeping George. He had his arm draped across her bed and a look of concern etched upon his still face.

"Callie, dear, your family is right down the hall. They haven't slept since yesterday and they were given a small bit of sleeping draught. I'll go fetch them dear now that you are awake. I'll leave Fred and George here to keep you company, I'll only be a few moments." She said as she roused the two boys from sleep.

As she hurried out of the room, the two boys sat and wiped their eyes. They both sat on the bed next to Callie with sad looks on their faces. George looked as though he had been crying and hugged her before trying to comfort her.

"I am so sorry Callie. This never would have happened if we had just went ahead and had your party." He said as he began to sob into the blankets. Callie stroked his hair to comfort him and then looked to Fred.

"Where is my aunt Fred? All I saw was a horrible blue flame and then nothing. Everything is so hazy."

"She's..." he looked down and swallowed hard. Before he could answer, however, the door burst open before he could finish. Her uncle was standing in the doorway, his eyes red and watery from tears and he ran to her side. Callie leapt off the bed and into his arms.

He lifted her up and hugged her so tight that she could barely breathe. His body shook with sobs and he was barely able to set her on her feet before collapsing to the floor. He continued to sob and hold his head in his hands. He tried to compose himself long enough to give her the one answer she had been searching for since she had awoken.

"My dear sweet Calliope, your aunt is…..gone. I don't know how it happened but she's gone. Oh your poor face Callie. I'm so sorry." He said as he reached out and gingerly touched her face before breaking down again.

Arthur stepped forward and put an arm around his friend. Callie sat back on the bed, stunned into silence. Gone? How could that be? Her aunt was such a brilliant witch with potions; how could this have happened? Then a realization hit her in the face. It was her fault.

She had been the cause for so much pain. Her aunts' attention had been fixed on her when she should have been concentrating on the potion. She felt two arms wrap around her and she turned and looked into the eyes of her two best friends. She saw tears in their eyes and she knew that she was right.

Just then there was a loud knock on the door and everyone looked up. Everyone in the room gasped when the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, himself walked in with an older couple that Callie did not recognize. The Minister cleared his throat loudly before speaking to her uncle.

"Xenophilius, I know this is a very difficult time for you but I must request that Calliope come with me." He said.

"What? No, What do you mean Callie has to go with you? I'm her godfather. Who wants her?" Xeno exclaimed, rising from his position on the floor.

The older woman approached Xenophilius and her unkind eyes scanned the room before she responded.

"We do, Mr. Lovegood. We have come to take Calliope with us. We are the parents of Callum Sterling, her father. We are Calliope's grandparents and rightful guardians."

**A/N Dun Dun Dun! So enters the grandparents that Callie has never met. How will these Muggles affect Callie and how will this revelation affect Callie and George? Stick with me to find out together! Oh and don't forget to review to let me know how I'm doing.**

** -Z**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing except Callie and her grandparents.

Authors Note: The last chapter was a bit of a shocker. In this chapter some questions are answered but even more will be asked.

Everyone in the room looked at the older woman, mouths agape. They could not believe their ears. No one spoke but only glanced around at each other in disbelief. Finally Callie gathered up all her courage and cleared her throat to speak.

"Why have I never heard of you before? Where were you my whole life? And why do you want me now?" she asked, her arms flailing about her.

"I'm afraid this is neither the time nor the place for such questions. The only thing you have to be concerned with is resting up so we can go home. Your grandfather and I can answer all your questions when we go home." Her grandmother replied, the cold look never leaving her face.

Rage bubbled up inside of Callie. She had only just met this woman claiming to be her grandmother and she was already ordering her around and refusing to answer her questions. She had enough of being treated like a baby and she deserved to know the truth.

"No! You will answer me. You show up after all this time and want to take me away from my home? I want to know why." She said, her face turning red.

Her grandmother's face slowly turned the very same shade of red, a red that rivaled the Weasleys' fiery locks.

"How dare you speak to me that, young lady. You obviously were not brought up with the same manners that we instilled in your father. I blame all this magical nonsense. That was the reason your father left, to be with _her_." Her grandmother spat out the last words like they were poison on her tongue.

Upon her saying this, Xenophilius rose from his seat and faced the woman, his once calm features contorted in rage. What she had said struck to the very core of his being.

"Now listen here Madam, with all due respect my wife and I had raised Callie the best way we could under the circumstances. We taught Callie to love, respect and most of all believe in herself. As for Callie's mother, she was both a brilliant witch and a wonderful woman. I will not have you disrespect her. Your son obviously fell in love with her for the same reasons I fell in love with her sister. Please do not make this day any harder for Callie, she has already lost so much." Xeno plead with the woman.

The woman's features softened only by a fraction. She stood her ground as she glanced around him at Callie before responding.

"That woman was the reason I lost my son, my only child. He never would have stayed in that crazy 'magical' village if he had not met her. He would have moved back near us and met a nice girl and settled down. Instead he was murdered because of your ludicrous magic world. We are taking Calliope away from all of this ridiculousness."

Callie did not hear all of what her grandmother had said. Her mind was focused on one word; murdered. She had been told that her parents died in a terrible accident. She had been lied to and she felt betrayed. She sat up in the bed and turned on her uncle.

"What does she mean murdered? You and Aunt Fiona told me that my parents died in an accident. What happened to my mum and dad?" she shouted, unable to control her emotions.

Xeno looked down at his niece and he reached for her. She batted his hand away, her eyes never leaving his face. She was so like her aunt in that moment that he had to choke back a sob. He sat down in the chair and pulled it close to her.

"We were going to tell you the truth many times but there was never the right moment. We wanted to wait until you were old enough to handle it but now I believe you deserve to know the truth." Xeno said as he wrung his hands. He looked up into her eyes, glistening with unshed tears.

"She is right my dear, your parents were not killed in an accident. They were murdered by a terrible witch who is now in prison. Lorna and Callum were going to have dinner at the Longbottoms and left you with a sitter. When they got there something was wrong. Frank and Alice Longbottom were being tortured by the LeStranges. Your parents went to disarm them but they were outnumbered. It was Bellatrix who killed them. It was Bellatrix who took your parents from you. I'm so sorry, Callie." He explained.

The old woman barely let Xeno finish before she spoke. She refused to look at him but instead her eyes bore into Callie's.

"Do you see? You see what these people have done? Your father died because of all of this magic nonsense. You will come with us girl. You will come with us and live like a normal child." She said sternly.

"It isn't nonsense. I don't want to leave my friends. My aunt was teaching me different spells and potions. She said I was really good for my age." Callie said with tears in her eyes.

"Enough! I've heard enough. I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense. We will be leaving as soon as you're feeling better."

Just then Molly stepped forward and politely cleared her throat to speak.

"With all due respect Madam, I think it would be less stressful for Callie to recover at home rather than here away from her family. Plus I am sure she will want to attend her aunts funeral." She pled with the older woman.

The woman held up her index finger and opened her mouth then shut it quickly. She glanced over at her granddaughter and her gaze softened only slightly.

"What do you want to do Calliope? Do you want to remain here or go home with your uncle?"

Callie was still hurt by the way her uncle had kept the truth about her parents from her. She wasn't sure if she could be in the same house where her Aunt had her accident. But she also did not want to stay in St. Mungos, away from her friends. Then an idea occurred to her.

"I want to stay with the Weasleys, if it okay with them. I cant go back to that house." She felt a hand grab hers and squeeze it tightly. She looked over and saw that it was George, with Fred's hand on top of his. They were her best friends and she would find a way to stay with them.

"That would be lovely, we love Callie as though she were one of our own. If that is alright with you of course." Molly replied.

Callie looked up at her grandmother with pleading eyes and hoped her answer would be yes. She loved the Weasleys and couldn't bear to leave them.

Her grandmothers' face softened, she knew she had been defeated. Her granddaughter had one this particular battle but not the entire war.

"That is fine for as long as it takes her to recover. She will be leaving with us at the end of that time, make no mistake about that."

**A/N So we see that her grandmother hates just about everything about the Wizarding world. How will Callie be able to attend Hogwarts in the fall and will she ever be able to see the Weasley's again? As always, remember that your reviews are like cookies, I can never get enough! **

** -Z**


	12. Chapter 12

Discalimer: I own this little piece of the Wizarding world but Rowling owns the rest.

So the last chapter accidentally got put up under the title of Chapter 11 instead of 10. Sorry for the confusion but this is the REAL chapter 11. Enjoy!

Chapter 11

George POV

George woke to the sound of screaming. He looked over at Fred who quickly sat up in bed. The two looked at each other with a look of concern. Callie had been staying with them for about two weeks and they were exhausted because she woke every few hours screaming. This time seemed different, more urgent somehow.

George rose up from the bed and made his way to Ginny's room. He knocked softly on the door. Ginny opened the door in a groggy stupor. Her fiery red hair was a mess, and there were bags under her eyes. Callie had been sharing her room so she was the closest to the screaming.

"How is she doing Gin?" he asked.

Ginny sighed heavily before answering, "How do you think? She won't stop screaming. Please go talk to her George, maybe you can calm her down."

George watched his younger sister walk down the stairs and opened the door slowly. Curled in a ball on the bed lay Callie, softly sobbing. She looked so helpless lying there that he couldn't help but comfort her. He lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Was it the dream again?" when he felt her nod her head he continued, "I'm so sorry Callie. I miss her too." He said, his eyes starting to tear.

She turned around to face him and he saw that her gauze had come loose in the night. He could barely see some of the red, swollen flesh that was once the right side of her face. He reached out and gingerly fixed it back in place. Her hand covered his own and she looked away.

"I know I'm hideous. I overheard the healers talking in St. Mungo's. They said that my face may never heal, that I might look like this forever." Callie said as she started to cry. George gently lifted her chin and wiped away a single tear.

"You could never be hideous. Even if your face doesn't heal, you will always be pretty to me. And your aunt is so proud of you. If she lives in your heart now, she can never truly leave." He said as he held her tight. She continued to sob into his sleep-shirt.

A soft knock came at the door and it startled them both. They both sat up quickly, fearing that is was Molly and what she would think about the both of them hugging on the same bed. They both breathed a sigh of relief when Fred poked his fiery red head around the door and stepped into the room. He rushed over to Callie and the three embraced each other tightly. Fred stroked Callie's hair and whispered something in her ear that George was unable to hear. Whatever was said soon had Callie giggling through the tears. George couldn't help but smile when Callie laughed but he wished it was him to make her laugh.

Soon it was time for breakfast and they made their way down to the kitchen. There was a letter sitting on the table addressed to Callie. Callie walked right past it and sat down. George picked up the letter and saw that it had the Hogwarts seal on it. This was Callie's acceptance letter to Hogwarts. It must have come when she was still not feeling well.

Soon the rest of the family came in to join them and sat down noisily. Molly glanced over and noticed George eyeing Callie's letter. She cleared her throat before speaking gently.

"Callie, my dear, we have some excellent news for you. You received your acceptance letter soon after the…." She hesitated, knowing that the pain of the accident was still fresh for Callie, " unpleasantness, isn't that wonderful?"

Callie smile fell and a blank expression came over her face. She looked down at the letter as George pushed it in front of her. George had seen her like this before but never like this. It was almost as if her face showed no emotion, and a numbness was in its place.

"No Molly, it isn't good news. My _grandparents _will never let me go now." She said with a sort of bitterness.

"Oh Callie, I'm sure they will come to their senses and let you go. After all, didn't they let your dad go?" reasoned Fred.

"Yeah but we learned how that worked out didn't we? They let him go and he died. He died Fred, and now they will never let me go."

As if on cue, there was a loud knock on the door. George watched as his father stood and opened the door and in walked the Minister of Magic Fudge and behind him stood the two people George dreaded seeing more than anyone: Callie's grandparents. The day he had dreaded had finally come. Callie, his best friend in the world, would be taken away from him. He couldn't let this happen. Normally Fred was the one who thought the quickest on his feet, but George was ready to fight.

"Fred, we have to stop this. We have to do something." He whispered to his twin.

"Yeah George, I know. But what can we do? Even the minister is here."

"Create a diversion, I will handle the rest."

A wide devilish smile broke across Fred's face " I know just the thing." He said as he winked at Callie and darted up to their room.

The minister cleared his throat and received everyone's attention.

"I believe that now that the girl is recovered these good people are here to retrieve her." The Minister spoke with authority.

To everyone's great shock it was Arthur that spoke first, he usually kept quiet when it came down to the Minister's concerns.

"With all due respect sir, the girl of whom you speak has a name; Callie. And furthermore she is hardly ready for a new environment. She does not go two hours a night without screaming from a nightmare. Please I beg you, she is happy here." He pleaded.

"Enough! I've heard just enough. She is coming with us whether you _people_ like it or not." Bellowed Callie's grandmother. 

Callie's attention was on her grandmother when George whispered in her ear.

"When Fred creates the diversion, run Callie. Run until you get to our tree. You will be safe there, no one but us knows about it not even Fred. Go and I'll find you." He kissed her cheek then as the first little spark from a firework flitted down the stairs.

"What is Merlin's beard was that?" the Minister shouted as the spark exploded in front of his face. More sparks and swirls came rushing into the room and soon exploded in clouds of dark smoke.

Callie grasped George's hand tightly then let go, rushing out of the back door. George barely caught a glimpse of her long hair through the fumes. He smiled brightly for he knew that he would definitely see her again soon.

**A/N So George helps Callie escape! But as we all know, some things aren't always as easy as they seem. George, Fred and Callie may have won a battle but they definitely have not yet won the war. As always your reviews are like Weasley hugs, I treasure every one of them **

** -Z **


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: You know the drill, do I really have to keep saying how wonderful Ms. Rowling is? Oh yeah, of course I do :D

A/N We are back to Callie's POV this time to give some perspective into what she's thinking. I will give a little bit of insight into what she's been going through since her aunt passed away and during her escape. Enjoy!

**Chapter 12**

Callie could not believe what happening. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and now today was the day her grandparents show up to take her away with the Minister of Magic in tow. She glanced down at the Hogwarts acceptance letter and tears stung her eyes. She would never get to see those fine stone halls and the four-poster beds in the dorms. She would never get to explore the secret passages with Fred and George and she would never get to dine on what Fred and George described was the "best food on the planet".

When the Minister spoke up and called her "the girl" something changed within Callie. She felt the need to fight back, to fight for the right to be with her family, her real family. She looked sideways at Fred and George and saw them whispering. No one noticed as Fred winked at her and slipped stealthily up the stairs.

Callie attention was suddenly turn toward her grandmother when she heard her yell at Arthur. The words her grandmother spoke dripped with disdain and she hated her for it. How dare she speak to her family like that! She was nearly out of her seat when George gently grabbed her arm.

"When Fred creates the diversion, run Callie. Run until you get to our tree. You will be safe there, no one but us knows about it not even Fred. Go and I'll find you." He whispered in her ear before kissing her on the cheek. Her cheek tingled and she gently touched it as she looked in his deep hazel-brown eyes.

Just then a spark flew down from an upstairs bedroom and blew up right in front of the Ministers face. The next spark flew in front of her grandmother and blew up into a cloud of black smoke and soon the Burrow was filling with black smoke.

"Go now Callie." George urged. Callie reached out and firmly grasped his hand before quietly running out the back door. She ran until she was a safe distance and glanced back. She saw George wave once from the kitchen window and then disappear back into the black smoke that had enveloped the house.

Callie continued to run until she needed to catch her breath. She stopped and smiled when she saw the tree was not far. She ran to it and rolled away the rock that kept the entrance safe from animal intruders and climbed through the small opening into the rather cavernous hollow. She nestled down in the blankets that she and George had managed to sneak out of their houses. The blanket she chose smelled like fresh cut grass with a faint hint of powder, just like George.

Callie waited for hours and had fallen into a fitful sleep when she heard a noise, startling her awake. She whistled their secret whistle and was relieved when she heard it back. Soon she saw the top of George's fiery red hair as he squeezed through the narrow opening. He sat down and she instantly knew something was wrong. George's face was downcast and he looked very troubled.

"What's wrong George? I thought you said everything was going to be okay?" she asked, instantly worried.

"Well, first Fred nearly got a lashing for performing underage magic in front of muggles. Then your grandmother and the Minister turned on Mum and Dad. Your grandmother threatened to 'sue' them, whatever that means, and the Minister threatened Dad's job if you weren't returned at once. Well of course Mum and Dad have no idea where you've gone. They're just as worried about finding you." George said, frightened.

Callie knew it must have been serious for George to be so worried and scared. She knew what she must do but she was so conflicted. If she stayed here or ran away again, Arthur might lose his job. But if she went with her grandparents, she might never see George and Fred again. She couldn't bare the thought of losing them, but she also knew the family couldn't support themselves if Arthur lost his job.

Callie was suddenly struck with a memory. The memory was of what George had said about her aunt just that morning. He had said that if someone lives in your heart, they never truly leave you. She blinked back tears as she looked at her friend. She knew what she must do.

"I'm going with them George. I'm going with my grandparents." She said with what little resolve she had left.

"No! You can't do that! You can't leave, Callie, you just can't. I like….." he paused a moment before continuing, "Me and Fred will miss you too much."

Callie completely lost all resolve as she stared into her friend's eyes, wet with tears. She began to sob and they hugged each other tightly. She had grown to care so much for the two ginger twins but George in particular had captured her heart. She knew, without knowing what love truly was, that she felt that way about George. There was no way she could leave them, no matter the cost. She would just have to figure out a way to stay, somehow.

The two walked up the path together hand in hand and were shocked to see Callie's grandparents and the Minister all sitting down with the Weasleys when they entered the Burrow.

Molly was the first to rise and rush to Callie. She picked her up and hugged her tightly to her.

"My stars child, don't you ever scare me like that again! You had us all worried sick about you, why did you run like that?" Molly said, her voice raised then growing softer.

Callie looked up into the face of the woman who had grown to be a second mother to her, much like her aunt had been. Tears welled up in her eyes and when she did speak her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave my family. You all are my family. I am not leaving." She said and Molly gripped her hand tight and bent down to her ear.

"Tell them dear. I have a feeling if you tell them that, they will listen." Molly whispered. As Molly pulled back, she saw that the woman's eyes were shiny with tears but there was a smile on her face. Callie's resolve was instantly restored and she turned to her grandparents.

"I understand why you're upset about my parents and my being a witch. I get that. But these wonderful people are my family, not just my friends. I love them and they love me. I want you to be in my life but I want to stay here. I am staying here." She said as politely as she could.

Her grandparents looked at each other and she glimpsed her grandfather give her grandmother a barely noticeable nod. Her grandmother sat straighter and stared at her for what seemed like an eternity before clearing her throat,

"Fine, as you wish. But I wash my hands of you. You, stubborn child, are these folks' problem now."

**A/N Yay! So Callie gets to stay and go to Hogwarts. What adventures will she, Fred and George get into now? And how will her feelings for George progress? Stick around to find out! Oh yeah and don't forget to review, they are better than cookies to me, and I LOVE cookies **

** -Z**


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